Underneath
by As A Ghost
Summary: Wendy Darling wants nothing more than to escape, to seek adventure. But when she is taken to Neverland, the island's dark nature settles its way in. Neverland is not what it seems, now the only thing to do is to reverse the damage done. Can she stop the monster Peter has become, or is the island doomed forever? (Rated T for violence and dark tendencies)
1. Chapter 1

**Underneath**

It had become a routine now, and she couldn't quite remember when she had not sat by her window. Her nights' were filled with prayer, for someone to take her away from this place. She had no desire to be here, her heart longing for adventure and excitement, not content with marriage. But a topic such as marriage was often brought up in the Darling household, for Aunt Millicent wasn't happy with the girl's dreams. She cared more about what others thought, and with Wendy growing older, the idea of finding a suitor was a usual topic between her and the girl's parents.

After several years of this, it began to take its toll on the young girl, who was carrying so many burdens on her shoulders. She wanted nothing more than to run away, hoping that the stars would answer her prayers, though the longer she pleaded the more she became doubtful of ever escaping. And now she sat, her cotton nightgown pooled at her knees as she rested her elbows on the windowsill, gazing at the stars as they shined down on her. Moments passed, and soon Wendy found herself growing tired, ready to submit to sleep.

She stood, closing the window as she turned the latches on both sides so that it was locked before walking to her bed, turning down the sheets before nuzzling her way in. It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes, but she felt herself slipping into a slumber. The latches on the window began to turn to the right, but Wendy did not stir as three soft taps followed. The girl shot up, fully alert when the large window flew open, letting in the warm summer air. In her dark room she could make out a silhouette stepping silently onto the carpet. She didn't know whether to scream or run, but she did neither as the figure became more clear.

A ball of yellow light zoomed through the open window, bringing a nice glow to her room. Wendy sat still, instinctively clutching the quilts around her. A boy stood at the end of her bed, clad in all colors and sizes of leaves, a thick vine wrapping over his left shoulder while a strap of leaves covered the other as they formed at X across his chest, an acorn adorning the front of it. Another vine wrapped around his right upper arm, and a belt held not only what looked like a knife, but a pair of carved flutes. His skin was sun kissed, his hair a dirty blonde mop of curls that stuck out every which way. Wendy would have been very alarmed if it weren't for his eyes, a beautiful sea green that seemed to lock her in a trance. The stranger smiled at her, a crooked grin plastering his face before he bowed to her like they were at a grand ball. By now Wendy had kicked her blankets aside, standing at her bedside a few feet from him.

"What is your name?" she asked, wondering if just maybe she had gotten her wish.

"I'm Peter Pan," he spoke, a broad smile on his face while his hands rested on his hips. "What is your name?" he replied, repeating her question.

"Wendy Moira Angela Darling," she replied proudly, curtsying as a small smile spread across her face. The ball of light stopped flying, landing on Peter's shoulder. Wendy squinted, able to see a small woman dressed in a leaf dress, blonde hair in a wild bun.

"A fairy!" she exclaimed, not being able to take in what she was seeing.

"That's Tinkerbell," Peter explained, but the fairy did not seem very polite with Wendy. In fact, she seemed distant and sluggish, like she had no life left in her. Wendy thought it odd, but did not question it. Instead, she remembered the important question, turning her focus back on Peter.

"Why are you here?" Wendy asked, hoping that maybe this was really happening. She had had dreams of a boy taking her to a distant land, but those were merely dreams. She would have never thought he'd be standing here, only a few feet from her.

"I'm taking you to Neverland," Peter replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Neverland?"

"You wont have to grow up there, you'll have so many adventures," Peter explained, glancing at the fairy still standing on his shoulder. "There's mermaids, pirates, Indians; every day is a new adventure."

Peter was already making it sound rather tempting, what without parents or rules to follow, it seemed like a paradise to Wendy.

"How do we get there?" Wendy questioned, but instead of an answer Peter held out his hand, and she contemplated taking his hand. She stepped back a bit, shaking her head. Now that her opportunity was right in front of her, the questions flooded her mind. She couldn't just leave everyone behind, what if she wanted to come back? What would John and Michael think?

"Wendy," Peter said, and she looked up at his sea green orbs, instantly relaxing under his gaze. "Do you trust me?"

She felt herself nodding without even thinking about it; she had only just met him. But something about him made her feel like she had known him for years. The worries concerning her family melted away, replaced by the idea of Neverland. She placed her hand in his and with a grin spreading on his face, he tugged her toward the still open window.

"Tink," Peter asked, and before Wendy could figure out what was happening, the fairy had started circling her body, showering her in a sparkly dust.

"We have to fly to get to Neverland," Peter said, watching Tinkerbell exit the house. He reached for her hand, which she gave him, before telling her to think happy thoughts. Wendy found it easy to do, and she glanced down at the floor, her feet floating a few inches above it. She gasped, holding her arms out at her sides as her nightgown dangled above her ankles. Peter stepped out on the ledge, guiding her onto the windowsill as she tried to control flight.

"A-Are you sure about this?" she stuttered, looking down at the ground about thirty feet below. Her throat tightened as she realized how high up she was, but Peter squeezed her hand, drifting her out further from the window.

"I wont let you fall," he said, and she nodded as she looked ahead. The wind began to pick up, causing her hair to fly around madly. Her eyes returned to the ground, now knowing there was no going back. They began to soar higher, and before long the pair broke through the clouds, the sky dazzled in stars as they continued their journey through the heavens. It felt much like a dream to Wendy, but the harsh wind and shortage of air told her differently.

She caught sight of Tinkerbell ahead of them, a line of shimmering dust left in her wake. Wendy gaped as they soared past planets, and a million stars filled her vision. She looked at Peter, he seemed much more tense now as he focused ahead at the fairy. Wendy found it hard to get air as their speed increased, and her hair tangled 'round her throat in a deadly dance. Something felt wrong, uneasy to her now.

"Hold on!" Peter yelled, and Wendy clutched his hand tighter as they broke through the barrier between Neverland and London. It felt as if her ribs were being trampled on, and her lungs felt like they'd give out at any moment, as the void seemed to crush her, causing her head to pound and ache. The feelings soon passed, however, as they glided over rough waters.

Wendy looked ahead now, her eyes widening as she took in the island's fearsome look. They soon reached the land, and Wendy looked confused as to why Peter would bring her to such a place. The far side of the island had a Volcano that had a huge cloud of dark smoke spewing from its top. Sharp mountains covered the sides of the island, and an almost dead forest lay out in front of her. Her bare feet scratched against the rough jagged ground, and as she stepped she felt the small rocks digging into her soft skin. She looked up at the moon, seeing only a red ring around it, casting an eerie glow down on the island. This place felt dark, negative, and she didn't like it.

She turned around to ask Peter, but what stood before her was not the boy who came to her window a short time ago. A body of a boy, yes, but a very distorted version. He looked deathly pale, and you could visibly see the ribs sticking out from his uncovered sides. His hair was much darker, almost black looking under the dim light the moon gave them. The leaves that made up his outfit were crinkling, like they had been dead long ago.

At first Wendy was very scared for Peter, but after a moment he smiled at her with chapped lips, revealing a row of tapered teeth. Her blue eyes widened in fear, and out of instinct she stepped back, heart racing as she thought of running. Peter whistled loudly, the sound echoing through the empty area as Tinkerbell flew into view.

"Welcome to Neverland, Wendy," Peter hissed, his voice cold and scratchy. With that, Peter took one last glance at the girl he had lured here, tempting her with a freedom she had wanted but had not received. He smirked at her, it sending chills down her spine before he took off with Tinkerbell into the dark sky, his form barely visible against the night sky.

**A/N~ I hope you guys liked it! This was an old story of mine that had a lot of potential, but unfortunately I had accidentally erased it from my computer, thus causing me to rewrite this. Its not as good as my original version, but I tried to remember as much as possible! PLZ review and tell me if you like it, and thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Underneath**

Wendy's heart began to race as she looked up at the inky sky, losing sight of the monster that had brought her here. She spun around on her heel, knowing no where to go. She ran toward the forest, her feet burning as they made contact with the broken twigs and sharp rocks. The trees looked to be burnt down to almost nothing at the front, but as she ran further into the tree line the oaks began to get taller and thicker, as if the fire that had touched to front didn't make it very far inward. Her nightgown snagged on one of the branches, resulting in a rip at the side from where she yanked it free. Wendy hadn't stopped to think what other creatures could be in Neverland, but she didn't want to find out. The howl seemed fairly close to her, and it took only a moment for her to dart in the other direction.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, her blue orbs wild with a panic she had never known before. Running was starting to tire her out, and barely being able to see ahead of her didn't make it any easier. She took a moment to glance behind her shoulder before her foot caught on a root sticking from the forest floor. Wendy tumbled to the ground, having no time to catch herself before she landed on her stomach. Her eyes clamped shut, out of breath and exhausted. She could hear the creature making it's way through the trees, twigs and branches snapping as it came closer. Wendy turned her head to get a look at it, regretting that she had ever opened her eyes once it came into view. She turned onto her back, scooting herself backward to try an escape.

The beast towered over her, standing with a hunched back. A lot of its fur was missing, exposing it's ribs. The rest of the thick brown hair was matted together in what looked to be dried blood. It's arms were long and thin, sharp claws curling inward ever so slightly. It's snout was black, and as it raised it's head to sniff the air, it opened it's mouth to reveal sharp rows of teeth. The beast looked like a wolf, but like a man as well. From it's throat it bellowed a deep growl, focusing it's beady eyes on Wendy. She was completely still, not knowing how she would manage to get out of this alive. It bared it's teeth, walking toward her. Wendy shut her eyes tightly, whimpering as she felt it sniff her face and neck, no doubt planning on making her it's next meal. And so she waited, but a bite never came.

Instead, a loud yelp echoed through the woods, and the beast fell to the ground, slumped partially over Wendy's chest.

Her breathing became ragged, and she turned her head cautiously to examine the creature, a large arrow plunged in one of its eyes. Blood exited the wound, the creatures jaw slack now as it lie dead on top of her. Wendy had to muffle a scream, struggling to push the heavy beast off of her. She managed to roll it to it's side, as she scooted away, afraid it might still be alive. In these few moments she had no time to think, until she remembered the beast had been killed, but by what?

She turned her head to look behind her, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. A boy not much younger than she was standing behind her, bow drawn in case he had to fire again. After a moment he placed the loaded arrow into a quiver that hung against his back. He held the bow in one hand, and with the other he held out a hand for her to take. Wendy looked from his dirt caked palm back to his dark brown eyes, not knowing who or what to trust anymore. After a moment she placed her hand in his, and he pulled her to shaky legs as he went to retrieve his arrow. He held tightly to the stem as he relentlessly pulled it free.

"Filthy wendigo," he spat, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he eyed the creature, "you're lucky, I had been hunting him for weeks."

He glanced back at the girl he had saved, smiling faintly before he wiped the arrow head on his raggedy pants, ripped at the knees. Holes covered his clothing, and Wendy couldn't quite make out the color they had once been. The shirt sleeves were also disposed of, and a fur hat rested on his head, covering unwashed dark hair that hung over his forehead. "Slightly," he greeted, holding his hand out for her to shake. Wendy took it hesitantly, not able to believe this was happening. "Who might you be?"

"I'm Wendy," she replied softly, dropping his hand as she stared at what he had called a wendigo.

"Don't you know you're not supposed to be in the woods? It's dangerous, the island isn't safe," he explained, shaking his head. "Where's your group?"

"Group?" Wendy asked, raising her eyebrows.

By now Slightly had heard enough, and knew she wasn't one of the islands natives.

"How'd you get here?"

"I- I was tricked," she mumbled, her brain running wild. "I just want to go home," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. This was not what Peter had promised her, and now all she wanted was to return to her room.

"Peter brought you," Slightly said, eyes widening just a bit as he spoke. "We need to leave," he rushed, taking her shoulder as he pushed her along the trail he had followed and away from the wendigo.

"Why? What's happening?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

"He's following you," Slightly said, starting to realize that Wendy was bait for something much bigger. He led her through the woods, and down a rocky hill as the sky started to thunder, a storm ready to begin. Wendy slipped as the rocks became wetter, grabbing hold of Slightly's arm as they made there way toward a cave.

"This way," he guided, rushing her inside the cavern before draping long leaves over the caves entrance.

**A/N~ idk if people read this but theres chapter two. Neverland and peter will be revealed and explained later on, this is just setting everything up. If you liked this, review and tell me! Thanks for reading, and ill try and update soon enough!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Underneath**

The first thing Wendy noticed when Slightly rushed her into the cave was how much like a home it looked. She peered around the cave, which seemed to be much bigger on the inside. It was a huge open room, with a few pieces of furniture. A small makeshift bed was set up near a hand carved table, and a woven rope hammock hung on the other side of the room. Thick vines curled up the damp walls of the cavern, and the hammock hung from two of them. The floor was cold and wet, and Wendy's feet splashed in shallow puddles as she surveyed the room.

Wendy stepped to the table, passing her fingertips over hand drawn maps that were scattered aside. Candle light flickered over one of the maps, a dagger plunged through it. Wendy glanced back over her shoulder at the boy as he mumbled to himself. Was this his... house? With a timid hand she grasped the handle, yanking the dagger free as she looked to see where it had been pinpointed. "Hangman's Tree" was scribbled above the large hole in the map.

"Slightly?" Wendy asked, setting the dagger on the table as she walked to the bed. Dark fur skins were used as blankets, and when she sat on the mattress it sounded like crunching leaves.

"Slightly?" she asked once more after not getting a reply. This time he glanced up at her for only a moment before placing his bow and quiver on the table.

"Maybe he's looking for me," Slightly muttered to himself, taking the dagger from the table as he shuffled to the hammock.

"Does it matter?" Wendy asked, wanting to know what on earth was happening. He had rushed her out of the forest so quickly that she hadn't gotten the chance to ask him about it.

"Of course it matters," he replied, lying in the hammock as he used one of his legs to swing himself back and forth. "Peter hasn't brought anyone to the island in a long time. More importantly, why did he choose you?" he finished, looking over to lock eyes with Wendy as he fiddled with the dagger. Wendy didn't have an answer to give him. She didn't quite know why he had come to her window either.

"I just want to go home," Wendy said, and Slightly frowned, staring at the ceiling of the cave as he swung.

"Only Peter can take you back, I'm afraid."

Wendy's eyes grew wide for a moment, and tears started to pull around her bottom lids. She was already losing hope of ever returning to London. "Why would he bring me here? Why would anyone want to come to this place?! It's hell!"

Slightly silently agreed with her, the island was hell. He didn't blame her for yelling, it was understandable. But she hadn't lived in Neverland anywhere near as long as he had. She had no idea what it once was.

"Neverland, Peter, they weren't always like this," Slightly said after a moment.

"What do you mean?" Wendy sniffled, wiping the water that had collected on her eyelashes.

"That... monster, it's been here for such a long time. I'm almost certain it isn't Peter anymore. But what brought you here, it wasn't Peter, not the one I knew at least."

"What happened to him?" Wendy asked, beginning to think up all sorts of questions.

"It's a long story."

"We have plenty of time," Wendy reminded him, and he sighed as he tried to remember it himself.

"Peter used to be our leader, me and the other lost boys. Things were always good, until Peter started changing. He banished most of the Indians, and after a while the island started to get dark. It used to be beautiful, but it's dying now. It's been quiet for a long time, until he brought you here."

She had many questions about the 'lost boys' or what exactly caused Peter to change, but she stopped herself from asking about it. "You said he was following me?" Wendy asked, not able to put the pieces together like Slightly already had.

"Yes, I was stupid, I should have known you were only bait."

"For what?"

"For me, or for the other lost boys perhaps. After Peter banished the Indians, the other natives were outraged. Most of them went against Peter, myself included. Most of them are dead now, though," Slightly explained, swinging his legs over the side of the hammock to sit upright.

"What does he want?"

"To kill us. We've only managed to live this long because we hide."

"What are you going to do?" Wendy asked, fearing not only for herself but for Slightly as well. Had Peter followed them to this cave? What if he was outside? She stopped herself from thinking about that possibility. The things she had seen in Neverland thus far were terrifying enough as it was, so getting herself worked up would benefit neither Slightly or herself. She just had to stay calm.

"There's only one thing to do," Slightly said, getting up from the hammock and walking over to where Wendy sat. "We have to kill him, before it's too late." He held out the handle of the dagger to her, and she raised her eyebrows at this.

"We? There is no _we_, I can't do this," she replied, shaking her head.

"But we won't be able to get to him without your help. He's following you, so all you have to do is lure him to us. Once he's surrounded, he won't stand a chance," Slightly persuaded, frowning when she looked to the floor. He kneeled down, trying again to get the girls help. "Wendy, if this works, I promise you I'll find a way to get you home," he said, and she looked up at him, finding it hard to reject his offer.

She looked back to her dirty feet, chewing on her bottom lip as she pondered this. How could she be expected to aid them? How could Slightly think that she, of all people, would be able to help them? She hadn't asked for this, to be tricked and lured here! But Slightly had saved her life only a little while before... He hadn't even thought about the danger he was in, so how could she turn her back on Neverland? She owed him.

"Fine, I'll help you," she replied, and he smiled at her answer. Once more he held out the handle of the dagger, and she gave him a questionable look. "I can't kill him."

"It's for protection. If something happens, I'm not going to leave you unarmed. It's just incase."

"I- I can't take this," she said.

"If something goes wrong you have to protect yourself. There's no telling what he might do. Wendy," he started, "take it." She looked from his eyes back to the handle, and after a moment of pause, she took the blade from his outstretched hand. This was it, she was going to help save the island.

**A/N~ ok so there's ch 3! Sorry it took so long to update, but I hope you guys liked this! Please tell me what you think so far, its greatly appreciated! I'm leaving for Warped tour in a few days, so i wont be able to write for a little while, but I'll update soon! Thanks for your lovely reviews, follows, and favorites! And thanks for reading my story; stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Underneath **

"We should leave soon. After the storm passes we'll go," Slightly said, and Wendy nodded in agreement. If they didn't want Peter finding them they'd have to leave the cave, or risk coming face to face with the monster.

Wendy had taken the time to doze off, falling back on the lumpy mattress as she closed her eyes, succumbing to a much needed sleep. The fur skins were soft and surprisingly warm, and she curled into a ball before stopping movement altogether.

Slightly sat on the hammock swinging softly as he watched her sleep. She must have been absolutely terrified, thinking maybe sleep would do her good. He found it hard to rest nowadays; being constantly hunted soon caused paranoia. He wondered if she would be able to actually lure Peter. Hopefully she wouldn't have to use the dagger, but if it came to it, would she? Would she even be able to save anyone? He put his thoughts to rest, deciding Wendy would do her best to help. He gazed at the ceiling of the cave, listening to the downpour.

After an hour the storm still hadn't let up. It seemed to be getting much worse the more the two waited, and after a while Slightly decided they'd just have to walk through the rain. Slightly swung his bow and quiver over his shoulder as he pulled back the fan leaves to reveal a pitch black sky. There were no stars out, only the hard rain and the red glow the moon casted over the island.

As they made their way over the slick rocks, Wendy felt herself clutch the dagger closer to her chest. Thunder boomed across the dark sky, and she jumped a bit, her paranoia getting the better of her.

"This way," Slightly called, and she looked ahead, realizing she was quite far behind.

Before long they had made it back to the forest, absolutely drenched. Wendy's bare feet sunk into the now muddy dirt, finding it much less painful to walk over now that it was wet. Slightly waited ahead for her, looking at the tops of the thick oak trees for any sign of life. He didn't catch a glimpse.

"Where exactly are we going?" Wendy asked, catching up to him now.

"To meet the other lost boys," he replied, confident that they were not in danger being out in the open.

"Are they-" she started to ask, stopping mid question when lightning struck one of the taller oak trees. Her eyes widened as it caught fire, the rain seeming to not help put the flames out. The whole tree seemed to be eaten by the fire, until the bottom of it snapped.

"Move!" Slightly yelled, and Wendy's mouth opened a bit as he grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the falling tree. It landed where she had been standing, causing a loud thump across the forest. The tree was still lit, but the fire was starting to die down thankfully.

"We have to hurry, come on," he said, and Wendy blinked a couple of times before following suit.

The pair walked for what seemed like miles, making sure to keep in the shadows the forest provided until they stopped at a rushing stream. The water was wild, not stopping for anything as it crashed against rocks. The stream was wide and long; Wendy couldn't see the end of it. A few rocks lay across it, making an almost perfect walk way to the other side.

"Kid's Creek, it's across this," Slightly informed her.

"Let's go," Wendy said, for the first time being the one to act first.

She approached the stream cautiously, stepping onto the first rock. The stone was very slick, and the water rushed over her feet relentlessly. She held her arms out at her sides to steady herself, catching her footing after a moment.

"Be careful!" Slightly warned, hoping she wouldn't slip.

Wendy hopped from the first rock to another, the water seeming to push her to the left as it raced. She bent down, one hand holding the dagger while the other held onto the edge of the rock for balance. The water stung her soft skin as it ran over her feet, now coming up to her ankles. Making her way across this river reminded her of a time she and her brothers played stepping stones. The creek they had been at was much calmer than this, and for a moment she thought of John and Michael. Would they miss her? Would they care at all now that she was gone?

Slightly followed after her, easily making it onto the rocks as Wendy took her time. The water burned, feeling like a thousand needles pricking bare skin. Wendy had finally made it to the last rock, breathing deeply as she took a leap of faith to the other side. She landed swiftly on hard ground, looking back to see Slightly having no trouble at all. He jumped as well, landing on both feet as he looked ahead.

Before them lay thick foliage, and Wendy examined it for some sort of entrance, but found none. "Slightly?" she asked, confused on why he'd bring them to this dead end.

"We're here," he announced, and Wendy frowned. She glanced at the sky, able to see the smallest bit of the tops of the oak trees they had left behind. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw something move in the trees, but it had to be her eyes playing tricks on her.

She turned back to him, her heart beating rapidly at the thought of Peter watching them. But he couldn't be. She followed him to a thick bush, that had cherry red berries hanging from it in bundles. Wendy felt her stomach rumble, realizing she had yet to eat anything. She was getting pretty hungry despite the fact she was also terrified.

"Can we eat these?" she asked, picking one of the berries off of the bush, inspecting it as she held it in front of her face.

"Sure," Slightly replied, and she was just about to eat it before he said something else. "If you want to die a slow and agonizing death."

Wendy frowned at him, tossing the inviting berry to the dirt. "I could have died you know," she argued, crossing her arms at his supposed joke.

Slightly shook his head, holding back a small chuckle as he began to push the bush apart. Wendy arched her neck to see what he was doing, as her eyes caught sight of only more dirt. Before she had time to comment, Slightly reached his hands out to brush the dirt away, revealing a trap door beneath it. He dug his fingers under the wooden boards, lifting it up with a soft creak.

"Ladies first," Slightly said, and Wendy looked down at the dark tunnel that the trapped door led to, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, hoping he'd go first. After all, the hole looked to be quite deep and dark; not the least bit comforting.

"As sure as I'll ever be," Slightly replied, holding the door open wide for her. "There's a ladder, just hold on tight," he instructed, and Wendy took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through her nose before approaching the hole.

She lowered her body down, gripping Slightly's forearm incase she was to slip. Her feet searched for the ladder he had said was there, before landing on what felt like thick rope. She stepped down slowly, guiding her left arm along the dirt wall. One hand found the rope, and before long she released Slightly's arm, his face disappearing as she went deeper under ground.

**A/N~ ok there's chapter four! Sorry it took so long for an update, I went to warped tour with my friends and we were gone for a few days so I didn't have the time to update. Anyway, tell me what you think so far! Thanks for reading!**


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